Vouchers and Refunds

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Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 50 total)

  • capetonianm
    Participant

    I had booked an easyJet flight for next week. It has been cancelled and the email just received states :

    You can request a refund by completing the form on our website which can be accessed via the Covid-19 Help Hub here. You have 12 months from the date of this email to request a refund. Please be advised that our Customer Service team are very busy at the moment, so this may take up to 28 days.

    Contrary to what some media are saying, EZY have not removed the ‘refund’ option.


    SGJNI1961
    Participant

    Easyjet reinstated the on line form only a few days ago. For weeks they have been insisting refunds could only be obtained by telephone. They then appear to have disconnected the phone lines. Next to impossible to get through.Total dishonesty and misrepresentation of passenger’s legal rights on the website which omitted “refunds” as an option.
    By contrast, Ryanair allowed me to obtain refunds on line over the same period although I understand they have been inconsistent about this.
    Easyjet are unlikely to get any more of my money since they were very quick to treat it as theirs. I entirely understand that refunds might take a bit longer due to the volume of transactions, but cheating customers is not a great look.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    capetonianm
    Participant

    I wasn’t aware that they had only just reinstated the form, which is why I was surprised to see it. As it happens, we’re just going to change the flight dates.

    As I’m an easyJet shareholder I’m not going to comment further on your views other than to say that I would probably feel the same way if I’d suffered your experience with them!


    FaroFlyer
    Participant

    Hi SGJNI1961
    You said”By contrast, Ryanair allowed me to obtain refunds on line over the same period although I understand they have been inconsistent about this.”

    Did you actually receive the refunds from Ryanair, or just an e-mail saying they would process a refund? I have 2 pending with FR. Both confirmed on 20/3, apology for delay on 28/3, apology for delay on 8/4 then on 20/4 told no refund, just a voucher.


    SGJNI1961
    Participant

    Hi FaroFlyer
    To date I have had one refund paid, a second one is pending. I have friend who was “given” a refund, then a voucher arrived. He has challenged this, I think on line, and has now been told he will receive his refund.
    There has been quite a stink in the media in the UK , ( Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert), about this new twist and complaints have been made at high levels.
    Good luck.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Just received confirmation from AMEX that they consider the issue of a voucher as a refund and have therefore refused my charge back request for a cancelled flight ticket from Ryan Air.

    Amex have suggested I call Ryan Air to resolve….


    CathayLoyalist2
    Participant

    MartynSinclair, that sounds like Amex not wanting to take on Ryanair. To say a voucher is a refund is unbelievable.


    FaroFlyer
    Participant

    [postquote quote=999085][/postquote]

    Hi Martyn, At end April I lodged 4 “disputes” with Amex. TAP dispute they agreed immediately when I said that TAP had advised EU261 does not apply to Covid. I also lodged 2 about Ryanair which they initially were reluctant to accept until I told them that online chat with Ryanair did not work, and the only phone number disconnected before even ringing out. The 3rd claim was against LH which Amex rejected as LH had not refused to refund, but had said it would take 10 weeks, or more. Last week I had 2 more Ryanair which Amex accepted when I reminded them that it is not possible to contact Ryanair either on line, or by chat. Last week they also finally accepted the LH dispute as LH had deactivated the booking and claim.

    I suggest that you call Amex again and try to initiate the Ryanair disputes. You will probably get a different person who may just process the dispute. Tell them that Chat does not work, and the phone line does not work either. If they are still difficult I would suggest that you ask Amex for a phone number that does work, maybe the one that they use:-)

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    RoyJones
    Participant

    I have just received a voucher from Austrian Railways (OBB) for the full amount valid for 10 yes TEN, years. As they are Government owned I think the risk of them going bankrupt is very low. Eat your hearts out !!!


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    [quote quote=999103]I suggest that you call Amex again and try to initiate the Ryanair disputes. You will probably get a different person who may just process the dispute. Tell them that Chat does not work, and the phone line does not work either. If they are still difficult I would suggest that you ask Amex for a phone number that does work, maybe the one that they use:-)[/quote]

    Many thanks FaroFlyer – Amex were not very forthcoming, explaining that they are not legally obliged to execute a charge back. My request had been considered by the charge back team and denied.

    They explained that Ryan Air had told them they did not have an automated refund system, their refunds department were “75% down due to social distancing issues” and confirmed the voucher and promise of a refund after 12 months if the voucher was unused should be considered acceptable. When i told Amex, it was not possible to contact Ryan Air, their advice, write them a letter! Clearly, Ryan Air have a degree of influence with Amex.

    As this division of Amex subscribes to the Financial Ombudsman Service, there is a formal complaints procedure. Whilst I do not intend pursuing through FOS (due to the amounts involved) I am interested to make Amex produce a final outcome letter, explaining why they are not willing to help. Interestingly, in 2019 Amex Card Services Europe upheld 38% of complaints made.

    The other refund I am waiting for is for a significantly higher amount for a cruise. I have been told to wait 60 days for this refund, which will come from the travel agent I made payment through. I feel far more confident about receiving this amount.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Bank holiday Monday – received a call from the complaints team at Amex, who wish to discuss my complaint about not being able to obtain a refund from Ryan or being able to contact them to discuss the option of a refund, after Ryan cancelled a flight.

    Complaint rejected, based on the evidence I supplied, which was Ryan’s cancellation email, explaining the refund/voucher option and the link, which goes to nowhere. AMEX said they needed an email addressed to me to show Ryan had refused to refund or offered me a delayed refund (i.e. using their terms ‘after the pandemic’ or if the voucher is unused after a year). I explained, it was impossible to get a response from Ryan either by phone, email or IM. AMEX again repeated the disputes team said as I could not provide evidence, therefore complaint rejected.

    Now the strange part – AMEX realise how frustrating this is and as a gesture of goodwill, they are willing to offer a credit to my AMEX account to the value of the flight. AMEX also confirmed the voucher will remain valid!

    What an earth are AMEX up to???

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    ASK1945
    Participant

    Martyn

    Based on my own previous experience with Amex, my guess is that you are a high value customer with them and they have taken a good business stance to retain you by this “goodwill gesture” – which does not create a precedent that could not necessarily be used by your friends/colleagues or those of us on BT.

    But, you can bet your bottom dollar that, as they are bigger than Ryanair, they will do a chargeback to them and in due course you will be told that your voucher is cancelled.

    Nevertheless, whatever happens, this is a win for you.


    FaroFlyer
    Participant

    [postquote quote=999404][/postquote]

    Martyn, very interesting. Today Amex credited me with 2 LH tickets after my second request. First had been denied because LH had not actually refused a refund, but had simply said that they did not know when a refund would be made, and that it would take many months.

    I still have 2 Ryanair “disputes” pending with Amex, and will have another in a few weeks. Amex already paid out on 2 Ryanair cancellations, so I think that they will struggle to refuse these 2.

    As far as I am aware EU261 Law has not changed, and I would assume that, in Law, it would be the situation at the time when the contract to fly was entered into, not a subsequent change of rules.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    [quote quote=999409]But, you can bet your bottom dollar that, as they are bigger than Ryanair, they will do a chargeback to them and in due course you will be told that your voucher is cancelled.[/quote]

    Thank you ASK1945 – if the vouchers remained valid, my intention is to donate the voucher codes rather than waste them…


    capetonianm
    Participant

    Norwegian and Baltic both provided refunds, for flights that they had cancelled, within 10 working days of the application being made.

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